It’s not typically a staff makes a commerce whereas they’re taking part in within the NBA Finals, however the Indiana Pacers pulled it off final week. As Indiana was locked in an intense battle with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, the entrance workplace accomplished a commerce with the New Orleans Pelicans that all of the sudden seems to be like a stroke of genius following the worst attainable state of affairs taking part in out within the collection.
Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles damage within the first quarter of Sport 7 that ended his evening. The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder went on to beat Indiana, 103-91, to win the NBA championship. Haliburton hasn’t had an MRI but, however there’s loads of hypothesis that he tore his Achilles, an damage that might value him all of subsequent season.
Haliburton’s Sport 7 Achilles damage is likely one of the most heartbreaking accidents in league historical past given the stakes. He had been so heroic within the NBA Playoffs by hitting clutch pictures to cap miracle comebacks in each collection, together with his Sport 1 buzzer-beater to stun the Thunder within the NBA Finals. The star guard suffered a calf pressure early within the collection, which was described as a probable multi-week damage if it occurred throughout the common season. Haliburton performed and performed properly in within the Pacers’ season-saving Sport 6 win after being listed as a game-time determination. The invoice got here due in devastating vogue in Sport 7.
The Pacers simply received’t be the identical staff if Haliburton is out for all of subsequent season. Indiana might nonetheless be fairly good in a large open Jap Convention. Due to a commerce they made throughout the NBA Finals, they now have another choice.
The Pacers re-acquired their unprotected 2026 first-round draft decide in a commerce with the New Orleans Pelicans throughout the NBA Finals. The Pacers had initially traded their decide to the Toronto Raptors as a part of the Pascal Siakam commerce, which was then re-routed to New Orleans within the Brandon Ingram commerce.
The Pacers despatched their No. 23 decide within the 2025 NBA Draft to the Pelicans for his or her 2026 decide again. The Pelicans needed one other decide on this draft. The Pacers gained full management of their future within the course of. If the Pacers determine they wish to tank at any level subsequent 12 months ought to Haliburton be out, now they’ve the choice.
The Pelicans are projected to take Asa Newell within the newest SB Nation NBA mock draft. There will probably be good gamers on the board in that vary, but it surely’s odd the Pelicans would commerce an unprotected decide for one as little as No. 23 this 12 months. The truth that this can be a skinny draft after so many gamers returned to school basketball for large NIL checks simply makes the Pelicans’ determination even stranger. In fact, the Pelicans have been in all probability satisfied the Pacers could be nice subsequent 12 months after watching how onerous they performed within the NBA Finals. As a primary transfer for the Joe Dumars period in New Orleans, it wasn’t encouraging.
There’s completely no silver lining to the Haliburton damage. That is the worst case state of affairs for a Pacers franchise that can have a tough time getting again to this stage. You’ll be able to by no means actually predict how a participant will get well from an Achilles tear (if that’s what occurred), although Haliburton is younger at 25 years outdated and can hopefully have the ability to get proper finally. Let’s be clear: the Pacers might nonetheless be excellent with out Haliburton, the East stays horrible, and you’ll’t rely out Indiana’s supporting solid at this level.
If subsequent season doesn’t go the way in which Indiana desires, although, no less than they’ve the choice to pivot. The 2026 NBA Draft is totally loaded on the prime, and if anybody deserves a little bit luck, it’s the Pacers after Haliburton’s damage.
Good groups win on the margins constantly, and the Pacers did it once more.
